1. Field of the Invention
A method and apparatus for coupling an Isofix bar to a bracket in a regulated child seat restraint anchorage forms a recess on the bracket to at least partially receive the Isofix bar and a bracket portion extending along the bar is mechanically joined to the bar.
2. Background Art
Vehicles are now required to have lower anchorages for child seats as described in Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 225. These anchorages usually include a plurality of latch wires, often positioned in pairs for latching to the couplers of a child seat. When the latch wires are attached to an anchor including a single, elongated tube, which is attached to the vehicle via mounting brackets, the assembly was commonly referred to as an Isofix bar.
The mounting bracket to tube attachment is usually accomplished by means of a welding process. The welding process subjecting the Isofix bar to heat can distort the assembly, affect the appearance and finish surfaces of the assembly and can cause undesirable warping of the tube, resulting in an inconsistent product. Another drawback to the welding process is that if the brackets are positioned in such a way that there is a gap between the bracket and the tube, the joint between the bracket and the tube can be considerably weakened due to poor weld penetration. Some existing brackets were designed to encapsulate the tube to reduce inconsistency in the gap between the bracket and the tube, to allow for a more consistent welding process. Nevertheless, while strengthening the connection, the other disadvantages of welding remain.